Inside Kyoto

A Kyoto Travel Guide

Kyoto Ryokan: How to Choose the Right One

A night or two in a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) is an essential Japanese experience and Kyoto is the place to do it. Here are my top ryokan picks which I’ve personally inspected or stayed in. And if you need more explanation about ryokan, just scroll a bit further.

The traditional interior of the Shorai room at Tawaraya Ryokan in Kyoto, Japan.
Shorai room at Tawaraya Ryokan © Chris Rowthorn.

My Top Kyoto Ryokan Picks by Category

Prices here are average rates for two people staying in one room. Rates can be significantly higher during busy seasons and if you eat dinner at the ryokan. I took some of these pictures and InsideKyoto’s photographer Jun Kitayama took the rest.

Best Overall Ryokan Experience

Streetview of the Seikoro Ryokan exterior and entrance.
Seikoro Ryokan © Jun Kitayama.
  • Seikoro US$500 – I discovered this sublime ryokan when I was guiding a client. It’s exactly what a ryokan should be: a comfortable showcase of traditional Japanese aesthetics and hospitality. And the rates are very reasonable given the quality. Check availability at Seikoro on Booking.com or Agoda.com.

Ultimate Traditional Luxury Ryokan

The inner garden at Tawaraya ryokan in Kyoto.
Inner garden at Tawaraya © Chris Rowthorn.

Most Romantic Ryokan

Streetview of the Ishibeikoji Muan ryokan exterior and entrance.
Ishibeikoji Muan © Chris Rowthorn.

Best Traditional Midrange

Exterior street outside the Motonago Ryokan in Kyoto.
Motonago Ryokan © Chris Rowthorn.
  • Motonago US$350 – I used to love picking up my tour guests at Motonago. It’s a lovely and welcoming ryokan located right on Nene-no-Michi, which is one of my favorite walking routes through Kyoto, particularly in the evening. Check availability and pricing for Motonago on Booking.com or Agoda.com.

Best Ryokan for Families

Exterior of the Nishiyama Ryokan in the evening.
Nishiyama Ryokan © Jun Kitayama.
  • Nishiyama Ryokan US$300 – Ryokan can be a bit intimidating, especially with kids in tow. But this fine ryokan manages to combine the ease and comfort of a hotel with the traditional Japanese style of a ryokan. Check availability and pricing for Nishiyama Ryokan on Booking.com or Agoda.com.

Best Budget Ryokan

Streetview of the Matsubaya Ryokan exterior during the day.
Matsubaya Ryokan © Jun Kitayama.
  • Matsubaya Ryokan US$100 – I’ve been recommending Matsubaya since my Lonely Planet days and it’s a great choice for those who want the ryokan experience without blowing the budget. Check availability and pricing for Matsubaya Inn on Booking.com or Agoda.com.

Best Ryokan for First Timers

Street exterior of the Sakanoue ryokan.
Sakanoue © Chris Rowthorn.
  • Sakanoue US$250 – I discovered Sakanoue while looking for ryokan close to the Southern Higashiyama sightseeing district. It’s been updated to make it comfortable for Western guests, but it retains a beautiful traditional look. Check availability and pricing for Sakanoue on Booking.com or Agoda.com.

Best Value Ryokan

Exterior streetview of the Yasaka Yutone Kyonoyado ryokan.
Yasaka Yutone Kyonoyado © Chris Rowthorn.
  • Yasaka Yutone Kyonoyado US$300 – Yutone still feels like a hidden discovery. It’s a sublime little ryokan that offers great food and beautiful rooms at very reasonable rates. It’s in the heart of Southern Higashiyama and it’s another great romantic choice. Check availability and pricing for Yasaka Yutone Kyokonoyado on Booking.com or Agoda.com.

The Great Classic Kyoto Ryokan

Exterior streetview of the Hiiragiya ryokan.
Hiiragiya © Jun Kitayama.
  • Hiiragiya US$800 – I love Hiiragiya for its pure traditional style and it’s a close rival to Tawaraya as the best classic luxury ryokan in the city. In the early days of my tour business, I often met guests here. Service is rigid but that’s the Kyoto way (or at least it used to be). You can make an availability inquiry through Hiiragiya’s official website (in English).

Should You Stay in a Ryokan?

I love ryokan but they’re not for everyone. If you appreciate traditional Japanese style, don’t mind sleeping in futon on the floor and like Japanese food beyond the sushi and ramen we know from back home, then you’ll probably enjoy a night or two in a good ryokan.

But if you don’t want to interact with staff, you prefer sleeping in a bed (but note that many ryokan now offer raised beds), and if you have young children and you don’t want to worry about them breaking something, then you might prefer to skip the ryokan experience. I can tell you from experience that it’s hard to enjoy a fine ryokan dinner while watching one of your toddlers making his way over to the shoji (wood and paper doors) in a high-end ryokan.

Exterior streetview of the Nanzenji Kikusui Ryokan.
Nanzenji Kikusui Ryokan © Kikusui.

What Is a Ryokan?

Simply put, a ryokan is a traditional Japanese inn. That means the room and (sometimes) the entire building is Japanese style. The most important point is this: Traditional accommodations are disappearing in Asia. Other than yurts in Mongolia, there really aren’t any traditional lodgings left – only standard-issue hotels that are the same everywhere in the world. Thus, ryokan are truly special and I recommend them to most visitors to Japan.

Luxury Ryokan vs Midrange and Budget Ryokan

You’ve probably seen pictures of ryokan. These are usually pictures of high-end ryokan, which are traditional wooden buildings with superb gardens. Kyoto’s high-end ryokan are great examples of such ryokan. However, some midrange and almost all budget ryokan are actually built inside modern buildings that look much like hotels from the outside: Only the service and the guestrooms are traditionally Japanese.

The inner hallway at Tawaraya ryokan in Kyoto.
Inner hallway at Tawaraya © Damien Douxchamps.

At higher-end places, you are served your meals in your room, which is a wonderful experience (see below about ryokan meals). Traditionally, even fancy ryokan had only common bathtubs, but these days, many luxury ryokan have en suite bathtubs. And all but the cheapest ryokan will have en suite toilets and sinks.

Meals at Ryokan

Luxury ryokan usually include two meals with your stay and these meals will invariably feature traditional Japanese cuisine. For dinner, that means a full kaiseki spread, while for breakfast, it means a traditional Japanese breakfast. For most people, this will be the best way to sample high-end Japanese food, especially now that elite Japanese restaurants are becoming more difficult to book. At a ryokan, with one booking you’re actually booking yourself two great restaurant meals. And, in some ways, you might consider a great ryokan to be a three-star residential restaurant. Here’s the dinner served by Ryokan Seryo in Ohara, a small village north of Kyoto:

Ryokan Seryo dinner laid out on the table.
Ryokan Seryo dinner.

Most ryokan will make an effort to highlight local and regional specialities in their meals. For example, here’s a photo of the dinner spread at Nishimuraya Honkan in Kinosaki during winter crab season:

Nishimuraya Honkan crab dinner laid out on the table.
Nishimuraya Honkan crab dinner.

How Do You Stay at a Ryokan?

Staying at a ryokan is a little different from staying in a hotel. First, you remove your shoes in the foyer (usually where you step up from ground level into the lobby area). Next, you are shown to your room, where a cup of tea and a traditional sweet or cracker will be waiting. At luxury ryokan, you will be served dinner in your room, otherwise, you will dine in a common room with other guests, or in a restaurant. After dinner, you will take a bath either in your own private bath or in a common bath. While you are bathing, a maid will lay out your futons.

Private en suite bath at Nishimuraya Honkan Ryokan.
Private en suite bath at Nishimuraya Honkan Ryokan.

Of course, many cheaper and more modern places may skip some or all of these steps and your stay will be pretty much like staying in a hotel – the only difference will be the futons and tatami mats instead of beds and carpets.

I’ve written a detailed piece with lots of photos about staying a night in Tawaraya, Japan’s finest ryokan, which might help you decide if the ryokan experience is for you.

How Much Does It Cost to Stay at a Ryokan?

People are sometimes surprised by the rates at ryokan, which seem higher than hotels at first glance. In addition, you should keep in mind that ryokan rates are sometimes quoted as per person, rather than per room (although on sites like Booking.com and Agoda.com the rates are shown as per room and not per person). Before you conclude that ryokan are overpriced, remember that ryokan rates usually include one or two meals, and the meals can often be elaborate kaiseki meals. If you figure in what two good meals in restaurants would cost, then the cost of a ryokan can often be quite reasonable. As a guide, here is how we divide ryokan by cost with rates shown in US dollars for two people in one room.

  • budget: less than US$300,
  • mid-budget: between US$300 and US$600,
  • luxury: over US$600.

How Many Nights Should You Stay at a Ryokan?

Staying at a ryokan is a bit like staying at the house of a gracious but distant relative – there’s a certain formality. I usually recommend that people stay at a ryokan for one or two nights at the start of their time in Kyoto, and then move to a hotel to enjoy the freedom and ease of staying at a hotel. For some recommended hotels, see our Kyoto Hotels page.

Bed and living areas of the Nazuna Kyoto Gosho ryokan.
Nazuna Kyoto Gosho.

Kyoto’s Best Ryokan

On the following pages, I list my picks for Kyoto’s best ryokan, divided by price and category. I’ve personally inspected all of these, and family, friends and clients have stayed in them and given me their feedback. Any one of these ryokan would be a great place to sample the Japanese ryokan experience!

Kyoto’s Best Luxury Ryokan

Kyoto’s best luxury ryokan are among the best ryokan in Japan. Here is where you can sample the true ryokan experience: a superb traditional wooden building, private gardens, sumptuous kaiseki meals, and legendary Kyoto service. For full details and our top picks, visit our Best Ryokan in Kyoto page.

Kyoto’s Best Mid-Budget Ryokan

Even at mid-budget prices, you can still enjoy a great ryokan experience. Your choices will range from hotel-style modern ryokan to traditional wooden ryokan. Visit our Best Mid-Budget Ryokan in Kyoto page for our top picks.

Kyoto’s Best Budget Ryokan

There are some great budget ryokan in Kyoto. For our top picks, visit our Best Budget Ryokan in Kyoto page.

Best Ryokan near Kyoto

You don’t have to go into the depths of the Japan Alps to find soothing countryside ryokans. In fact, there are several superb ryokan within two or three hours of Kyoto, and some only half an hour away. So if you want to add a rural break to your trip, these are our favorite ryokans near Kyoto.

Kyoto’s Best Ryokan for Families

Ryokan are a great choice for families, because you can all sleep in the same room. And, in some cases, you can all eat dinner in your room, so you don’t have to worry about kids misbehaving in a restaurant. For our top picks for family-friendly ryokan, visit our Best Kyoto Ryokan for Families page.

Kyoto’s Best Ryokan for Couples

Ryokan are inherently romantic. Indeed a few nights in a good Kyoto ryokan would make for a great honeymoon. Visit our Best Kyoto Ryokan for Couples page for our top picks.

An Alternative to Ryokan: Kyoto Machiya

If you really want to experience Japanese-style lodgings, but want a bit more freedom, flexibility and space, you might also consider staying in a classic Kyoto machiya (traditional townhouse). Essentially, these are Japanese-style vacation rentals. Visit our Kyoto Machiya page for more details and top picks.

Where Are These Places Located?

See these places on our Kyoto Google map:
  • Open the Kyoto map
  • You will see the list of places on the left hand side. (Click the 3-line icon in the top left corner if not). Scroll down or use the map search (the magnifying glass icon) to find the place you want.
  • Click the name of the place in the list. Its location pin will be highlighted on the map.
  • Map pins are color coded - BLUE: Hotels | VIOLET: Ryokan | PINK: Places to Eat | YELLOW: Things to See and Do
  • If you're using the map on your phone, open the map and then search for the name of the place. The map will then zoom in on its location.

More Kyoto Ryokan Info

Best Luxury Ryokan In Kyoto

Popular Kyoto Ryokan
Yuzuya RyokanRyokan YachiyoClassic RyokanMore Info
Yuzuya RyokanYuzuya RyokanRyokanMore Info
Yuzuya RyokanHirashin RyokanModerate PriceMore Info
Yuzuya RyokanNishiyama RyokanModern and CentralMore Info

Best Mid-Price Ryokan In Kyoto

Best Budget Ryokan In Kyoto

Kyoto Vacation Checklist


Kyoto District Map

Click a Kyoto District for detailed info on attractions, places to eat and accommodation


Chris Rowthorn

About InsideKyoto.com and Chris Rowthorn

  • Chris Rowthorn is the co-founder of InsideKyoto.com and has an unparalleled travel knowledge of Kyoto spanning three decades. Chris has written or commissioned and edited every page on the Inside Kyoto website.
  • A former author of Lonely Planet Kyoto and Lonely Planet Japan guidebooks, Chris is also the director of the Kyoto walking tour company Chris Rowthorn Tours, and Japan Travel Consulting, where you can get bespoke travel advice for your Japan trip.
  • InsideKyoto.com has been cited by the New York Times and The Times of London, among many other publications and websites.


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